Kedarnath temple opens for visitors, Uttarakhand CM Dhami, wife offer prayers

Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], May 10 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami along with his wife Geeta Dhami offered prayers at Kedarnath temple on the day of its opening on Akshaya Tritiya.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, along with his wife Geeta Dhami were present for the darshan of Baba Kedarnath at the time of the opening of the temple doors after a six-month gap.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also distributed 'Prasad' to the devotees.

"I welcome all the devotees. I pray to God that you all have a happy journey and your wishes be fulfilled... you all are welcome," Dhami said while addressing devotees at Kedarnath temple.

Speaking to ANI, Dhami said, "Devotees and pilgrims keep waiting for this Yatra. That holy day arrived day and the doors opened. Devotees have arrived here in large numbers. All arrangements have been made...I extend my greeting to everyone and welcome them all...First puja was performed here in the name of PM Modi. Darshan has begun with complete rituals. After he became the PM, work for the completion of redevelopment of Baba Kedar temple is being done in three phases. Our effort is to see that it is completed soon".
A large number of devotees gathered at the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand as one of the country's oldest and most sacred pilgrimage sites, were thrown open to the public after a gap of six months on the occassion of Akshaya Tritiya.
Chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' rang out from among the crowd of devotees, who gathered for the ceremony, as the portals were thrown open to the chanting of shlokas (hymns).
Ahead of the ceremonial opening of one of the country's holiest places of worship, the abode of Lord Shiva was decorated with 40 quintals of petals.
The doors of Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri were opened on Friday, while the doors of Badrinath Dham will be thrown open on May 12. (ANI)